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Holly
Acland gives Six Degrees
the third degree...
Six Degrees - Frith Street -
Soho W1
I may well be lampooned by Soho evangelists
for admitting this but I would not
normally head to the narrow, crowded
streets of London's famous drinking
district for a first class meal.
People-watching from one of the many
tables lining the pavement - yes;
partying in a crowded bar - yes;
memorable food in civilised surroundings
- no.
Yet the latest name to occupy
Frith Street promises both the
above. Six Degrees straddles
three floors at the Soho Square-end
of Frith Street. The ground floor
reception area is dominated by
a dramatic water cascade and an
adjoining bar offers drinks and
cocktails and a simple but innovative
all-day menu - think lobster claws
with chips and swordfish club sandwiches.
The second floor is described
as 'The Friendship Lounge' (a sort
of gentleman's club stroke exclusive
bar) but we were here to sample
the main restaurant on the first
floor.
It was only after ordering our
habitual gin and tonics that we
picked up the menu and discovered
an array of drinks that made the
g and t look like the poor country
cousin. Champagne cocktail, Silver
Fizz (gin, lemon and egg white
shaken and charged with soda) and
Vodkatini (frozen vodka served
'naked' with two olives) were among
the pre dinner drinks on offer
- so don't be too hasty in your
ordering.
Drinks is something Six Degrees
does particularly well. There is
an extensive wine menu ranging
from a good sauvignon blanc for £12
to a selection of fine wines for
up to £90. And to accompany the
pre meal menu there is a post meal
equivalent offering cognacs, rums
and ports all at around the £6
mark.
The food menu combines Mediterranean
and Pacific Rim cooking and is
characterised by original combinations
such as cured salmon and scallop
salad with citrus dressing (£.7.95)
and shitake mushroom and coconut
soup (£4).
My olive crusted baked goats cheese
with pesto dressing (£5.95) was
a predictable choice given my penchant
for goats cheese but did not disappoint.
There was a generous amount of
cheese, encrusted with black olives
and doused in pesto - delicious.
My partner was loyal to his South
West roots and chose the Cornish
crab spring rolls with mango salsa
(£6.95). The dish was beautifully
presented with a stack of rolls
("better than anything I've had
in China Town) encircled by slices
of soft, ripe mango.
Both of us opted for 'winter warmer'
main courses as it was tipping
down with rain outside and we looked
down from the warmth and comfort
of the restaurant onto a sea of
umbrellas. My sirloin steak (£14.95)
came with tiny fried new potatoes,
small but perfectly formed molasa
onions (the best) and a chimichuri
dressing. We greedily shared two
side orders of mash and sugar snaps
as my partner tucked in to roast
lamb rump with spinach, wild mushrooms
a
If this sounds rather too much
like traditional English fare and
you're wondering where the 'Pacific
Rim' influence has got to - other
options included Thai spicy fish
balls with basil and sweet and
sour sauce and roast cornfed chicken
with bok choi and Thai noodles.
Unfortunately the pineapple bread
and butter pudding with pineapple
sorbet (as recommended by the waiter)
had run out so I, dismissing the
fact that we hadn't actually had
a summer, chose summer fruit pudding
(£4.95) and my partner double chocolate
brownie with vanilla ice cream
(£4.95). The summer pudding was
moist and crammed full of fruit
and the brownie suitably chocolatey
and gooey. With winter now thoroughly
set in, Six Degrees is a top eatery
for hearty food, generous helpings
and some unusual and creative combinations.
If you're not a typical Soho surfer,
this restaurant is well worth venturing
along Frith Street for.
Holly Acland, December 2000
Six Degrees
56 Frith Street
Soho
London W1V 5TA
Reservations: 020 7734 8300
Fax: 020 7734 8717
Opening hours: Restaurant Lunch: midday - 4pm. Dinner: 6.30 - 1am
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